


Diplomacy and Other Such Dangerous Games

by ebres



Series: Supernatural Descendants AU [5]
Category: Descendants (2015)
Genre: Ben attempts diplomacy, Dryad Evie, Faerie Mal, Genie Jay, Multi, Polyamory, Supernatural AU - Freeform, Werewolf Ben, werewolf Carlos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-28
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 23:32:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6680332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ebres/pseuds/ebres
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"My father has more enemies than those he was allowed to exile to the Isle of the Lost."</p><p>(It's Ben's first ball, first royal event since being crowned King, first time standing before the entire court with the loves of his life. But nothing is ever as simple as it sounds.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Diplomacy and Other Such Dangerous Games

                “Ben’s holding a… A ball?” Mal asked, slowly. Her legs were tucked up under his, school books and assignments spread out across the comforter. She narrowed her eyes at Evie standing before their mirror. “Why?”

                “What do you mean why? He’s the king, he doesn’t need a reason to hold a ball. And we’re all invited of course,” Evie said, making a twirl in front of the mirror before coming over to sit beside Mal. “Our first royal ball, I’m so excited. Say you’ll save a dance for me.”

                “That might be hard,” she said, purposely not looking up from her physics homework, not wanting to see Evie’s expression. “As I won’t be going to any ball.”

                “So you only want to go to parties you weren’t invited to?” Even a couple months ago Evie might have cowered under the glare but not now. Now she matched the glare with a stern look of her own. “Why not?”

                Mal sighed and her pen tapped against the cover of ‘The Web and You: Safety on the Internet’.

                “What am I going to do at a royal ball? I don’t dance, I don’t know all that court etiquette, I don’t-” She let a breath out her nose and looked down at her hands instead of the question in Evie’s eyes. She worried the side of her pen, her nails scraping across the metal clip. “I couldn’t even make it through a dinner with Ben’s parents without… Without looking like an idiot. Let alone a dance with the whole court in attendance. He’d be better off taking you or Jay. At least you know which fork to use and when.”

                “Mal,” Evie said as she slid farther onto the bed, right in front of her, so she was practically in Mal’s lap, and she knew not to mention her now creased notebook. “You are one of the smartest people I know, you can learn basic ballroom etiquette. It’s easy.”

                “It’s easy for my princess who’s been learning it all her life.” Evie shifted her weight forward onto her knees, bringing them eye level, Evie’s nose inches from her face. Mal took a deep breath in, letting the scent of apple blossoms fill her senses. She set her hands on Evie’s hips and Evie wound her arms around Mal’s shoulders in return, steadying her balance.

                “And someday you will be a queen.” Mal felt Evie’s fingers slid into the hair at the base of her neck and she had to resist the urge to close her eyes and lean back into the touch. “And then you’ll have to learn. So why not start now?”

                Two could play at _that_ game, Mal thought and she slid her hands around so one was cupped around Evie’s thigh, the other pressed against her lower back, pulling her closer to glance a kiss off her cheek before leaning to her ear.

                “Or we could stay here and let the boys have their fun.”

                “Ben asked us to be there,” Evie said and there was something in her tone that made Mal back off a few inches to look at her. Evie’s eyes were serious, more serious than usual. “He wants _all_ of us to be there. Not just me or Jay. All four of us.”

                “It’s just some party,” Mal said but it was starting to sound weak even to her own ears. The way Evie spoke, it was like Ben had insisted on inviting each of them individually and, knowing him, he probably had. The thought of it jolted her stomach and made her want to grin. “Fine, but I’m only dancing with you guys.”

                “As long as you promise not to get all jealous again if we have to dance with someone else.”

                “You know I can’t do that,” Mal said with a smirk and a shake of her head, pulling Evie back in for a proper kiss, long and slow and perfect, and when she pulled back she pressed her forehead against Evie’s, so they were breathing in the same air. “I’ll try but I won’t promise.”

                “Good.” A quick peck on the lips and Evie was slipping from her grasp, quicker than Mal could blink. Evie strode over to their shared wardrobe, one hand on the door and the other on her hip. Mal didn’t need to see her face to know her expression, a contemplative pout and narrowed, assessing eyes. “Now we just need to find us something to wear.” She pushed a few hangers around and sighed. “Nope, I’ll have to go to the market for more fabric.”

                “You don’t need to make me a new dress, E. I’ll wear the dress you made me for the coronation. Everyone loved it.” She turned back to her homework, smoothing the top page of her notebook.

                “Excuse you?” Her pen paused in the middle of a problem and she looked back up at Evie. The other girl was staring at her with an expression that was a mix of confusion and horror. “You are _not_ going to wear the same dress to back to back royal events. I’ll make us something brand new.” She sat down at her own desk and opened her design sketch pad. Then another sigh, more annoyed this time.

                “What happened?”

                “The boys are going to try and wear their coronation outfits too.” Mal bit her lip to keep from grinning, Evie sounded for forlorn it was impossible to stop the blind rush of affection for her. “I’m going have to make new things for them too.”

                “E, come on. You can’t make four new designs in two weeks, it’s too much.”

                “You underestimate me.” Now _that_ was probably true, Evie was always greater than Mal could ever have imagined. “I’ve got plenty of designs just waiting to be made.”

                “I look forward to seeing it then.”

\-----

                “I have three days left for preparations, I don’t have time to relax.” Ben was wringing his hands, twisting and pacing with a nervous energy they had never seen before; not even on Family Day or his coronation. Carlos shot Jay a look that was at once both imploring and helpless and Jay bolted to his feet. He caught Ben’s arm and pulled him close, not missing the way the king’s hands shook, the way he was looking anywhere but his face.

                “Then make time. You’re the King, they wait for you.” He ran his hands up Ben’s shoulders, digging into the taut muscles of his back. “I think what you need is to sit and let us take care of you.”

                “I can’t. I still have to finish the menu for the banquet, the hall still needs-” He cut off with a sharp gasp, as Jay found the tightest knot, the one just under his shoulder blade, and pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. “Jay, I…”

                “Take an hour, come to bed.”

                “I have a duty, to my people, I need to…”

                “And _we_ have a duty to _you_.” Jay hadn’t noticed Carlos get up from the desk, not until he was standing in front of them. He wound one hand around the back of Ben’s neck, Jay brushed a kiss against his knuckles, Ben’s eyes fluttered and he swayed back against his chest and Jay didn’t have to guess where Carlos’ other hand was.

                “Come to bed,” Jay said again, softer this time and more insistent. He could feel the tension under his hands, could practically _taste_ it on Ben’s skin, sure Carlos could feel it too, smell it on the air. They had to do something, this event had Ben so wired he was sure to snap. He hadn’t slept with them the last couple nights, tied up with some sort of official business that had kept him out late, his spot in the bed still empty come morning, and even on nights that he had made it to bed it was in the small hours of the morning. Jay had to wonder if he was sleeping at all. “What you need is an orgasm and a nap. Come on, Dr. Jay’s orders.”

                He slid one arm around to slide his hand under Ben’s shirt, skating across his abs and coming to rest palm over the young king’s heart. Ben muffled a needy whine against the side of Jay’s neck, leaning all his weight on him as Jay walked them backwards until his legs hit the bed and let himself fall back, Ben still in his arms. Carlos had just slipped his fingers past the waistband of Ben’s perfectly tailored pants, thumbs brushing hip bones, there was a hot flush creeping into Ben’s skin, the tension starting to leak out beneath their hands, when-

                “Your majesty, may I have a word?”

                “Every damn time,” Jay hissed, head falling back onto the comforter, as Carlos twisted around to face the knock at the door, all but growling at the interruption. Ben sat up, still straddling Jay’s hips in a way that would have been _wonderful_ if not for the steward standing outside the door.

                “He’s a little _occupied_ right now, can’t it wait?” There was a jealous venom behind Carlos’ words, it seemed Jay wasn’t the only one who’d been missing quality time with Ben, made worse, he was sure, by how naturally possessive werewolves were of their mates.

                There was a moment of silence on the other side of the door, long enough Jay assumed Lumiere had taken the hint and left them alone. Ben must have thought so too, he lifted his hips to help Carlos pull his pants down to his ankles and nipped at Jay’s jaw when he sat up, his chest to Ben’s back, to help divest him of his shirt. He pushed Ben’s shirt off his shoulders and down so it pooled at his elbows, pressed a sucking bite to where Ben’s neck met his shoulder, practically growled himself as he watched Carlos kiss up Ben’s inner thigh.

                Then the door clicked open.

                “I’m sorry but this really can’t- Oh.”

                Ben froze in his arms, colour draining from his face as Lumiere attempted to look anywhere but the bed. Lumiere cleared his throat, a pointed gesture Jay only rolled his eyes at, and moved to the desk in an attempt to look like he was studying the papers Ben had been working on to prepare for the event. It would have been funny if not for the embarrassed burn to Ben’s cheeks, the way he fidgeted in Jay’s lap to try and cover himself up.

                “Usually, a closed door and no invitation inside means _don’t_ come in. Last time I checked at least, have the rules changed?” Jay drawled, fingers dragging idle patterns over Ben’s stomach, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

                “I apologise for the interruption but your father is looking for you, majesty.” His voice was strained, Jay was sure that if Carlos hadn’t been set on sulking he’d be poking fun at the steward, would say something that would make Ben smile.

                “Right, he wanted to- Wanted to talk about the accommodations for… Yeah.” It wasn’t often that Ben got flustered and Jay had to force himself to allow him up off his lap, almost overwhelmed by the desire to hold him close. Ben fumbled with his pants as he tried to stand, shirt still caught up around his arms. “Tell him I’ll be with him in a moment.”

                “Is there anything you’d like me to-”

                “Please just leave, Lumiere!” The man didn’t need to be told twice and the moment the door clicked shut behind him Ben collapsed back onto the bed; not back onto Jay.

                “You know, that could have been a lot worse,” Jay said, rolling onto his side so he was facing Ben, close enough to wind their fingers together. The bed dipped behind him and he felt Carlos press up against his back, one arm across his waist. “And it sounds like we’ve got a couple minutes before they need you. Plenty of time for us to finish up I bet.”

                “And have my father be the next person who walks through that door? No way,” Ben said, lifting their hands so he could press a kiss to the back of Jay’s. “Rain check?”

                “Always,” Jay murmured, running his thumb across Ben’s bottom lip before he leaned in for another kiss. He trailed his hand down the front of Ben’s throat, fingers resting against his collar, letting the kiss linger until Carlos nipped him on the shoulder to get his attention. Ben’s eyes had slipped shut, his lips pressed firmly together, and the desire to just keep him close, to lock the doors and keep the world out, rose in him again.

                Then his eyes blinked open and Jay could pretend the smile on his face wasn’t strained.

                “Come to bed at a decent time tonight,” Carlos all but demanded as he crawled partially over Jay to catch Ben in a quick kiss as he rose from the bed.

                “I’ll do my best.” He didn’t look at them as he stood, straightening his pants and trying to smooth out the creases in his shirt. It didn’t help.

                “No, not tonight,” Jay said, stretching out under Carlos and pulling him close to his chest. He met Ben’s eyes, took in the crease to his brow and the question in his eyes. “Ten rolls around, they can wrap things up without you. Even kings need their sleep.”

                “And we’ll be _sleeping?_ ”

                Carlos hummed against Jay’s neck before leaning his head back to look at Ben. “Come back at nine instead.”

                It was good to hear Ben laugh.

\-----

                A quick kiss on the cheek, the soft smell of rain and blossoms, and he looked up just as Evie sat beside him at the cafeteria bench. She pillowed her head onto his shoulder and he could almost _feel_ her batting her eyelashes up at him.

                “Evie?”

                “Benjamin.” Oh, he knew _that_ tone. He set his pen down on top of the parchment map in front of him, privately a little glad for the distraction, and turned slightly in his seat, not enough to dislodge her position but enough to give her his attention.

                “What’s wrong?” He asked and he felt her smirk against his shoulder.

                “I think that’s my line. In a few hours your guests are going to start arriving. And you’re down here pouring over paperwork you finished days ago. You need to come and get dressed. Not that your pajamas aren’t adorable,” she set a hand on his knee, the heat of her palm went straight through the thin cotton pants he’d thrown on the night before. “But I don’t think they’re exactly what one wears to a formal event. Especially when Lumiere and I designed you a suit that’s _sure_ to be the talk of the ball.”

                “I hope that’s what they’ll be talking about,” he said, staring back down at the seating chart instead of Evie’s face. This had to go off without a hitch, if it didn’t-

                “Of course they will. It’s a dance, what else would they have to talk about?”

                “Of course.” He forced his eyes up to meet hers, trying to put a calm smile on his face. From the way Evie’s eyebrows pinched in the middle he knew that he didn’t quite manage it. Her fingers trailed down his cheek to cup his chin, her other hand squeezed his thigh, and he leaned in when she pulled him forward for a kiss.

                And while she had him distracted she slipped into his lap.

                She set her arm along his shoulders, her fingers finding _that one_ spot right behind his ear to scratch. She kissed his cheek, her forehead resting against his hair.

                “Talk to me. What’s bothering you?” She raked her fingers through his hair, punctuating each word with the soft press of her lips against his jaw. “And I know it’s not this seating chart, I saw you finish it with the Queen.”

                Something cold dropped into the bottom of his stomach and he almost shivered, wrapping both arms around her waist to keep her close, trying to lose himself in her warmth. He pressed his nose into the crook of neck and felt her sigh against him. He heard the rustle of parchment as Evie picked the paper up off the table.

                “Hey, who are the extra people at the high table with us?” Her hand was still carding through his hair, her nails scraping against his scalp, his eyes slipped shut and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

                “People my parents don’t know I’ve invited and wouldn’t approve of if I did tell them,” he mumbled it against her shoulder and was almost surprised when she even heard him.

                “Hence the late changes to this seating plan. I see.” He heard her pick up his pen, heard it scratch against the parchment but didn’t look up to see what she was writing. “There, put us between them and your parents. We can play buffer. Or distraction. Whichever is called for.”

                He jerked back to look at her, she said it like it was just _that easy_ to prevent a scene. Without thinking he leaned in to press a kiss to her lips, unmindful of the squeak she made when he smudged her lipstick.

                “What would I do without you?”

                “Still be betrothed to Audrey in a world without magic,” Evie said easily, hugging him close with the arm around his shoulders. His stomach twisted at her words, uncomfortably familiar with the sentiment. A kingdom where he didn’t have the power to make magic flourish again, it was nearly unthinkable. “Are you going to tell us about your special guests, or is it a surprise?”

                “There’s more to this ball than just dancing,” he was aware of how cryptic he was being, could feel it in the gaze Evie leveled him with, but his throat felt thick at the thought of telling her just yet.

                “Oh, are they…” Evie almost gasped, her eyes bright with the challenge of the question in front of her. “Are there more kingdoms outside of Auradon?”

                Mal was right, Evie was one of the smartest people he knew. Especially when it came to people.

                He nodded slowly, resting his head back on her shoulder. “There were a couple of kingdoms who wouldn’t give up their crowns when my father was uniting the cities into Auradon.”

                “You don’t seem the kind to force someone to surrender their crown.”

                “That’s not what I want. I…” He looked up at her, something was making his chest tight, made it difficult to breathe. Her eyebrows pinched together and she pushed his hair off his forehead, leaning in to press a kiss against his skin.

                “What?” He bit his lip and then forced a smile, dropping her gaze before she could see through it.

                “You know what, you were right. I should really be getting dressed.”

\----

                “Boys, have you seen- You look nice.” Mal waltzed into the boys’ room, slinking against the door frame. Carlos was curled up cross legged on the bed, some gizmo faintly humming in his lap. He blinked owlishly at her a few times before frowning.

                “What if we’d been changing?”

                “Nothing I haven’t seen before.”

                “That’s- That’s not the point, Mal.” He set the machine to the side and stretched, enough that his red and black shirt rose up a few inches from his waist.

                “Have we seen who?” Jay, it turned out, _was_ in the middle of changing. He walked out of their attached bathroom buckling his pants, shirt open to expose his chest.

                “You should go to the ball like that, you’d get all the attention.” She fidgeted at her own dress; sleeveless on one side, sweeping bell sleeve on the other, _covered_ in sparkling crystals. With Ben footing the bill it wasn’t possible for Evie not to make something completely stunning but when all she wanted to do was blend into the background of this fancy affair she almost wished it looked a little _less_ not hideous. “Have you seen Evie? She disappeared a while ago to go find Ben. I haven’t seen either of them since.”

                “It might be awkward for three of the villain kids to host this ball if the king doesn’t show up,” Jay joked and Mal tried to force a smirk. Right, her, hosting a ball. She hadn’t even wanted to _go_.

                “I’m sure Ben will turn up, he always does,” Carlos said, unfurling his legs and falling backwards onto the bed. “And if he doesn’t we could manage. Jay’s been acing his courtly etiquette class.”

                Jay looked up from where he was tying, or trying to tie, the tie around his neck, so quickly she heard his neck pop in protest. “You promised to keep that to yourself!”

                “We’re going to need all the help we can get,” Mal said softly, stepping in front of him before he could go after Carlos and swatted his hands away from the tie for her to do.

                “You worry too much,” Jay said quietly, hands resting on her elbows, then sliding up to curl around her wrists when she pulled the knot to the base of his throat. He slipped a hand into hers and lifted it to kiss the back of her hand. She bit her lip and didn’t meet his eyes, focused on the curl of the tie against his skin. So it came as a surprise when he spun her around so her back was flush against his chest, her arms crossed against her waist, still in his hold. “No matter what happens tonight, he whispered, right next to her ear. “We are guests of the king and they can’t touch us. You belong there.”

                And she stood there a moment, head turned so her nose could tuck against his jaw, soaking in that spark of warm magic that was so distinctly djinn, so _Jay_.

                “Thanks, Jay,” she whispered, low and soft enough Carlos turned back to his project as if to give them some privacy. “I needed that.”

                “Anytime.” He stole a kiss before twirling her out of his arms; she watched her dress fan out in all directions and suddenly wished she’d taken Ben up on that offer weeks ago to teach her ballroom dancing. “Besides, if you and Carlos can throw the most legendary howler on the Isle of the Lost, how hard can a ball be?”

                “I think they’re going to be expecting a _different_ type of party than a howler, Jay,” Carlos said, though he was grinning and it was impossible for Mal to resist jumping onto the bed beside him. He tucked up to her side almost instantly. “I don’t think Ben would like it much if someone swung from his chandelier.”

                “No, I don’t think he would,” she said, their shoulders pressed together and her arm linked around his. “But what if-”

                “You think too much? That’s Carlos’ job.”

                “Hey!” She readjusted her grip to keep Carlos from launching himself at Jay, as amusing as a tussle might be Evie would murder them all _slowly_ if they messed up her clothes before the party even started.

                And speaking of-

                “Can you believe Lumiere is still angry with me? Some people,” Evie breezed easily into the room, a flurry of floating periwinkle fabric and silver sparkles. Her hair was up in an even more complicated braid than Mal had ever seen it in, a vibrant white rose resting nestled in one side, a matching ribbon woven down to the bottom of her braid.

                There was no doubt, Evie would be the most beautiful person at the ball. _Fairest of them all._

                “You did kind of steal his job, E,” Jay said, almost no-quite faltering when she turned to glare-pout in his direction.

                “I made a few _alterations_ to Ben’s attire, I hardly stole his job.” She stepped in front of the large mirror hung on the wall and made a minute adjustment to the prefect curl of hair that was left out of her braid, an unneeded one of course. “It’s Ben’s first royal event as the King, he needed to look perfect.”

                “Where is Ben anyway? I tried looking for you two earlier.”

                “We were down in the cafeteria, pre-ball jitters, which is to be expected, we all know how much he hates being the centre of attention.” Mal felt something jolt in her stomach, if Ben was nervous how could they not be? Ben was- “And we’re expected in the hall before the introduction. We don’t get one because we’re not ‘royal’ enough, apparently.”

                She even used the air quotes, rolling her eyes and dramatically placing her hands on her hip.

                “Fashionably late isn’t our style? I’m surprised,” Jay said, taking Evie’s hands and pressing a kis to the back of one. He got a genuine smile out of her and it relaxed something in Mal she hadn’t even known she’d tensed.

                “Not for this,” she said, before Evie could respond. She stood, smoothing out any creases in her dress before giving them the most no-nonsense expression she could muster with her stomach churning like she’d had double slop for lunch instead of strawberries and honey “Not when we have something to prove to all those stuck up nobles, not when Ben’s counting on us. A bunch of them are still going to think us being here is wrong, we have to-”

                “Show them that Ben knows what he’s doing,” Jay finished for her, twirling Evie the same way he had Mal, smiling when she giggled. “And we will. He’s planned this thing down to death. It couldn’t go wrong if it wanted to.”

                “I’m pretty sure Family Day wasn’t supposed to go badly either,” Carlos said, setting aside his mechanism and standing beside Mal. “If there’s going to be a problem, history shows it won’t be _us_ starting it.”

                “Stop with the worrying, both you of. It’s not like you,” Evie said and she set her arms on Mal’s shoulders, pressed their lips together, and when she pulled away she framed Mal’s face with her hands. “And when you frown you crease your make up.”

                She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help the fond smirk.

                “Come on, let’s get this over with.”


End file.
